St Albans: A Surprise Yorkist Victory Unfolds
- 28 May 2025
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ST ALBANS: THE WARS OF THE ROSES BEGIN IN BLOOD
The Battle Begins
The First Battle of St. Albans on 22nd May 1455 is also regarded as the first battle of the Wars of the Roses.
The conflict was initiated after the court party, led by Edmund Beaufort, second Duke of Somerset, planned a council meeting in Leicester to make provision for King Henry VI ‘against his enemies.’
The Yorkist lords, led by Richard, third Duke of York, Richard, Earl of Salisbury, and his son Richard, Earl of Warwick, feared a trap and summoned 3,000 armed retainers to march to London.
The Lancastrian army, around 2,000 men strong, was led by the Duke of Buckingham and faced the rebel army at St. Albans.
Failed Negotiations
Three hours of negotiations followed. When King Henry VI enquired why the Duke of York had arrived with so many men, York replied:
‘Surrender to us such as we accuse, and not resist till we have him which deserves death or else we die therefore.’
The Duke intended to arrest the Duke of Somerset and put him on trial. King Henry’s reply was just as uncompromising, threatening to
‘Destroy every mother’s son and they be hanged, drawn and quartered, that may be taken afterwards.’
Map of the battle by James Henry Ramsay (1892)
The Yorkist Assault
With negotiations over, the Duke of York attacked with his men at Shropshire Lane and the Earl of Salisbury at Sopwell Lane, which led to the town ditch being barricaded by the royal army. Neither force was able to break through, and the Yorkist cause appeared desperate.
However, the course of the battle drastically changed when the Earl of Warwick, with his banner of the Bear and Ragged Staff, led the reserve force through the thinly held barricades at the centre, past back gardens, and into the heart of the town.
A Decisive Turn
The Lancastrian troops were caught by surprise. Many fled for their lives, including Lord Clifford and Henry Percy, second Earl of Northumberland—son of the famed Harry Hotspur—who were both killed.
The Duke of Somerset took refuge at the Castle Inn with his men but was forced to emerge, killing four men before he was killed by a Yorkist axe.
According to Abbot John Whethamstede:
‘Here you saw one fall with his brains dashed out, there another with a broken arm, a third with a cut throat, and a fourth with a pierced chest, and the whole street was full of corpses.’
Around 120 men were killed, according to the Paston Letters.
Aftermath and Consequences
King Henry VI was wounded by an arrow in the neck and taken to St. Albans Abbey for his safety. Despite their victory, the Duke of York did not claim the throne. The next day, the Yorkist leaders escorted the king back to London. York and his followers now controlled the government, but the sons of the Lancastrian lords slain at St. Albans were already plotting revenge.
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FEATURED IMAGE
The attached image is a painting depicting the First Battle of St Albans (22 May 1455), often cited as the opening clash of the Wars of the Roses. This stylised and vividly coloured work captures the chaos of battle within a medieval town setting, likely intended to visualise the narrow streets and confined skirmishes that defined this pivotal encounter. In the centre of the scene, archers in black and red livery rain arrows upon mounted knights, while heraldic banners and distinctive armour signal the presence of key noble houses such as York and Lancaster.
The Castle Inn, a focal point in the actual battle and shown prominently in the background, marks where the Duke of Somerset made his final stand before being slain. On the left, the Abbey and Eleanor Cross of St Albans anchor the setting in historical geography. Though not a realistic portrayal by modern standards, the image effectively conveys the movement, heraldry, and human cost of the confrontation. The artist, in choosing a bright and illustrative style, provides a visually engaging introduction to the conflict that would define English politics for decades.
SOURCES
Cohen, D. (2023). Battles of the Wars of the Roses. Pen & Sword History.
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David Cohen
David Cohen, a retired civil servant from the Ministry of Justice, holds a degree in social sciences from Leicester University. With over 40 years of dedicated study in medieval history, he is a member of the Royal Historical Society and a passionate researcher of the Wars of the Roses. He frequently visits significant battle sites, including St Albans, Barnet, Tewkesbury, and Bosworth, deepening his understanding of the period. As co-admin of the popular Wars of the Roses and Medieval History group alongside historian Sharon Bennett Connolly, he contributes insightful articles on key battles and prominent conflict figures.
